Excellent points on the spreading of behavior and emotions via social networks.
In "The Hidden Power of Social Networks" (an excellent book on social network behavior within large organizations), Rob Cross reports work looking at the effect different people had on energy. Some people, when you meet with them, everybody comes out energized ... others, you come away totally meh. Who's it more productive to associate with? I don't know of similar studies with startups, early customers, and partners, but I'd bet dollars to donuts there would be similar patterns.
An extreme version is to work for energy, not money. Instead of choosing clients, customers, markets, suppliers, angels based on profitability (or future profitability), base it on energy.
There's a reasonable probability that energy will translate into value creation and then into money, anyway.
And even if not, would you rather be full-of-life and poor, or half-dead and rich? (to dichotomize for dramatic contrast.)
In "The Hidden Power of Social Networks" (an excellent book on social network behavior within large organizations), Rob Cross reports work looking at the effect different people had on energy. Some people, when you meet with them, everybody comes out energized ... others, you come away totally meh. Who's it more productive to associate with? I don't know of similar studies with startups, early customers, and partners, but I'd bet dollars to donuts there would be similar patterns.